Pages

Friday, November 29, 2013

THE BOOK OF ME WRITTEN BY YOU: A VERY SPECIAL DINNER


I'm taking  part in a meme started by Julie Goucher of Anglers Rest. Using
prompts from "The Book of Me, Written By You" I'm leaving my memories
of my life for present and future relatives. This week's prompt is

Special People
If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special
people who would you invite?
This week You CAN include family.
What meals would you serve and why.

This one will be a family affair.

Like the previous dinner with famous people I'd stick with something everyone
should like: Yankee Pot Roast with carrots, peas, potatoes and a dessert of
apple pie a la mode.  I'd have my sister and brother with me as hosts since
all these people are our ancestors and they should be there.

 I chose the majority of my guests because they hold the answers
to some questions I've had since I started researching my family. They are:

From my Father's side of the family:

Our 3x great grandparents John Cutter West and Arvilla Ames- I can ask John
who his parents were and break down that brick wall, and talk with both of them
about life in early 19th century Western Maine.


John C.West

Arvilla A. West
                                                 
 Our 5x great grandparents Caleb Coburn & His wife- I can finally find out the name
of our 5x great grandmother and talk with Caleb about his view of the American
Revolution.

 Our 2x great grandparents Asa Freeman Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham- I'd want to
talk with Asa about his Civil War experiences and ask Florilla how she managed a
family of seven kids while Asa was away at war. (They had another three after the
War ended.


Asa F & Florilla Ellingwood


Our 2x great grandparents Amos Hastings Barker & Betsey Jane Moore- I don't have any specific questions for them, but they raised 12 children and they look so happy in this anniversary picture. I just somehow think they'd be fun to talk to over dinner.



Amos H. & Betsey J.Barker



From my Mother's side of the family:

Our great grandparents Edward J White & Pauline Offinger- I have questions about
where their parents came from and also want to hear their perspective on the divorce
between my Mom's parents.
Edward J White


Pauline Offinger


Our  great grandparents John McFarland & Annie Kelly-Immigrants from Ireland and
Scotland. I have questions about the lives and families they left behind, and about
what it was like to be Irish immigrants in late 19th century Boston with 8 children that
survived out of 17 childbirths and again, I'd get their view of my grandparents' divorce.


John & Annie McFarland


Things might get a bit touchy between the Whites and McFarlands, and I'm not sure
how my Yankee ancestors will react to my Irish and German great grandparents, but I
think I could get a lot of information out of such a gathering. 
 

2 comments:

Kristin said...

I wonder how long we could keep these folks? Wouldn't it be amazing to finally get the answers and meet the people??

Kristin said...

I forgot to say yesterday that looking at the firm look Florilla is giving us in that photo, I have no question of how she raised those 7 children while her husband was away.